Greggs launches its own diet plan – and it includes pizza and sausage rolls

Greggs has designed its own 30-day diet plan based on products from its new Balanced Choice range.

The plan was designed by nutritionist Laura Clark includes higher calorie items such as sausage rolls, pizza and traybakes.

Four participants took part in a challenge to lose weight on the diet.

Dieters lost a total of two stone and 14 inches from their waists.

If you were looking for a new diet to get your summer body kickstarted, we don't think your first port of call would be Greggs.

However maybe it should be because the high street bakery has launched it's own diet plan: Minimise Me.

The eating plan was devised following a month-long experiment featuring four dieters including a new mum, a bride-to-be, a sales rep and a teacher with a hectic lifestyle.

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The four women were were provided with tailored exercise and meal plans, created by dietician Laura Clark from the retailer's Balanced Choice range.

Laura created a 30-day eating plan with a difference – every item was from the Greggs menu. The aim was to encourage informed and healthier food choices, alongside a more active lifestyle without forcing participants to live on traditional diet meals.

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'For many people, time and money are big factors in their struggle to make eating habits healthier to maintain a more balanced lifestyle – particularly when they are on the go and have such busy lives,' Laura, who is a registered with The Association of UK Dieticians (BDA), explains. 'My aim for this diet was to provide a supportive, holistic approach to recognising and then changing long term food and lifestyle habits as part of overall weight management goals.'

And it looks like this approach works – for those involved at least as the dieters collectively lost over two stone and 14 inches for their waists thanks to the plan and an exercise plan tailored to each individual.

But because eating pizza, sausage rolls and almond tray bakes to lose weight sounds too good to be true, we spoke to a couple of the participants.

29-year-old Hannah Barth, who lost 18lbs on the diet, is a senior assistant buyer at a fashion company. So, how did she find the diet?

'Honestly, I had some really good days and some really bad days on it. I think the biggest challenge being a new mum is having to give so much of yourself and your energy to your little one and kind of not necessarily having a lot of energy because of what I was putting into my body made some days a lot more challenging than others,' she explains.

'Though other days when going to the fridge and knowing that there was a sandwich there waiting for me, I didn't have to prepare anything, was brilliant, probably one of the best things about the challenge in itself.'

Hannah Barth before starting the 30-day diet plan

Taylor Herring

Hannah Barth 18lbs lighter at the end of the month-long diet

Taylor Herring

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Michelle Sowter signed up to the programme with only three months to go until her wedding and a dream dress that didn't fit.

'For me it was a final attempt to lose weight before my wedding. When I applied I had three months to go and my dress just wasn't fitting,' the 39-year-old told Prima. 'I bought it two years ago but I had put on weight since. I really wanted to wear it for my big day and couldn't afford to look for another dress so needed a kickstart to lose weight.'

'I'd tried every diet under the sun – Slimming World, Juice Plus, cutting out carbs, Weight Watchers and even gone through periods where I had pretty much starved myself.'

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A month on and though Michelle is only actually 1kg lighter, she has nine centimetres from her waist and can finally fit into her wedding dress, but how did she find the diet?

'Lots of diets need things to be prepared and organisation is not my forte. I work full-time and have a five-year-old who does lots of extra curricular activities so we are constantly on the go. With this one I didn't have to think about anything, it made it much easier.'

Michelle is weighed and measured by nutritionist Laura Clark before starting the diet plan

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'My breakfasts were treats were bacon rolls, cappuccino and egg baps – so initially you're looking at it all and thinking "how can I eat this but lose weight eating this?" but it really opened my eyes to the fact you can have treats rather than be all or nothing.'

'The hardest part was being around other food – I was still cooking food for my partner and daughter. One night they had fish and chips and being around that was particularly hard.'

But is the Greggs diet a good way to lose weight?

We spoke to Dominica Roszko, a certified international health coach and nutritional therapist, to find out her thoughts on the weight loss programme.

'This plan isn't a great way to lose weight – particularly long term. When I work with my clients I always try to focus on a diet packed with whole foods as if we eat processed foods we are losing lots of the vitamins.

'When you put something on your plate you should always think about the journey it has gone through to get there – the longer the process, the fewer vitamins it will contain and the less beneficial it is for you'

The integrative nutrition coach did see the merit in consuming some of the options on the plan though: 'The diet plan includes porridge which is good for digestion, I always recommend a breakfast like this to clients who have problems with bowel movements. It really helps the metabolism and is a great breakfast for weight loss.'

However, she did note that ' they are serving the porridge with a pack of berries and cherries or golden syrup and these are very high in sugar. It would better to add seeds or some fresh fruit you have bought yourself.'

'Some of the lunch and dinner options are perfectly fine but there is a lot of bread and processed meat which I wouldn't recommend as a healthy option,' she continued. 'It would be much better to stick to a salad with vegetables, dark leafy greens with chicken or a small amount of cheese. The fibre in this kind of meal will also help with bowel movements and is likely to keep you feeling full for longer.'

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If you do live near a Greggs and this sounds like the diet you've been waiting for then you can find out more here.

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